Ontwerpen voor decoraties voor een hanglamp c. 1895

Curator: This intriguing page comes from the sketchbook of Carel Adolph Lion Cachet, dating back to around 1895. It is currently held in the Rijksmuseum. He rendered the drawing using a pencil. It appears to show different sketches and ornamentation ideas, possibly for a hanging lamp. What is your immediate take on this drawing, knowing its purpose was a design? Editor: It feels almost ghostly, doesn't it? Like catching a glimpse into the artist's subconscious. The overlapping lines and half-formed shapes give it this dreamy quality. And, you know, hanging lamps, chandeliers, they’re all about catching light and throwing shadows, which makes this medium so perfect to explore ideas. It feels so spontaneous, full of light but so transient. Curator: Indeed. Observe how Cachet uses a repetitive yet slightly varied motif – that elongated loop. This becomes the structural element, appearing in rows and circles, manipulated to form what we might identify as the basic "skeleton" of a potential lamp. Also, notice the geometry at play – how lines radiate outward, creating an architectural framework within the sketch itself. This reveals Cachet’s thought process, how he envisioned constructing three-dimensional objects from these preliminary strokes. Editor: Yeah, I get that! But for me, it's more about the feel of the piece. There's this real sense of flow and movement, the shapes undulate. It makes me think of seaweed gently swaying under water. Maybe, to give them light, there are suggestions of jellyfish! And the lack of shading makes it ethereal, almost otherworldly. Does this drawing hint at a feeling Cachet wanted the final object to embody, like calmness? I’m curious to explore it, perhaps like a meditation. Curator: It brings up questions on intention, certainly! What kind of light was he trying to capture or perhaps evoke? Cachet was known for his work in the Art Nouveau style, where organic forms and stylized ornamentation were a common motif. Editor: Absolutely. What seems simple turns out to be quite layered when you allow yourself the opportunity to dive into it, huh? Curator: Yes, precisely. Lion Cachet's design encourages one to consider the fundamental building blocks that contribute to art's more finished states. Editor: Yeah, seeing the beginnings always reveals the magical side. Makes you look with curiosity! Thanks for this conversation.